Living With An Alcoholic » Am I an Alcoholic

Women Fighting Against The Consequences Of Alcoholism

Daniel — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:01:00 +0000

Most people will not debate the devastating affects of alcoholism. The destruction from this disease are scattered across the pages of newspapers worldwide. Women are affected differently than men are concerning this disease. Not only do females who have the disease metabolize alcohol differently and tend to ask for help less often then men; they experience different associations with alcohol related incidents.

Women are wives, moms, and sisters of those who suffer from alcoholism. They connect in a nurturing way with those who are part of their life. Especially when their sons or daughters are diagnosed with alcoholism, moms feel an emotional pull at their heartstrings.

Women have long been supporters of holding alcoholics responsible for the devastation they leave in their midst. Once such well-known organization is MADD the organization has evolved to include dads, uncles, friends and neighbors but still stand for a determination to make a difference. MADD believes in activism, victim services and education. They encourage visitors to take action in their community. Granted that MADD is mainly concerned with only one consequence of alcoholism, but in doing their part, they have brought the enormous affects of the alcohol related consequences to the public eye since 1980. A woman, Candy Lightner, founded MADD. Programs include: Adult Awareness, Student Programs, Law Enforcement Programs, Diversity (taking into account cultural differences), Court Monitoring and Web Banners. You can find all about MADD at their Website: http://www.madd.org/

Safe Harbor is a 90-day extended care recovery program started by a woman who has a very inspiring and compassionate story to share. Her name is Velvet Mangan. She came to the realization to start Safe Harbor in 1993, after 7 years of being sober herself. Through her faith in the purpose and in God’s guidance, she started to make her vision a physical reality. Today, 20 years later Safe Harbor is a licensed Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center for women. It is known for quality counselors and caring staff. The program includes a unique spiritual and emotional depth to it that is rare for such programs. The program is very comprehensive and individualized for each patient. The program is a 3-phase program. The treatment program includes: individual as well as group and spiritual counseling, marriage and family counseling and chemical dependency. Women receive help with body image, eating disorders and job placement. There is a Relapse Prevention Planning Program as well as Anger Management. The women enjoy the following as part of the program: Spa visits, meditation, Tai Chi, Yoga, Art Therapy, Trauma Resolution, Equine Therapy and Massage. As you can see by this listing, the women receive a very comprehensive and supportive program. You can read her heart-felt story and that of Safe Harbor’s at http://www.safeharborhouse.com/ourStory.html

Women are making a difference in understanding the disease as well as helping those who suffer from it. Perhaps they have a unique understanding because so many women suffer in silence, needing encouragement to seek help. Perhaps it is because women are drawn to the sufferings of other women. These two women are just a small example of what women are doing to make a difference in the lives of alcoholics.

The last six steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

Daniel — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 02:08:00 +0000

This article is a continuation of ‘The first six steps of Alcoholics Anonymous’. The twelve step program for overcoming a problem with alcohol has been used for years and years with much success. Many individuals have been able to successfully kick the habit simply by following the twelve steps, and to that end, it can be useful to know them if you or someone you know has a problem with alcohol. In this article, we’ll examine the last six steps of the Alcoholics Anonymous program so that you can get a better idea of how the program progresses.

The seventh step of the Alcoholics Anonymous program focuses on humility. It states that you should ask your higher power to humbly remove the shortcomings that you have in your life, as self-will and determination can only go so far in achieving progress against alcoholism. In this step, you should confront some of the character faults that you have such as being dishonest or being hateful of others in the past.

The eighth step is a particularly difficult step in the program. It involves acknowledging all of the people that you have hurt in the past and becoming willing to make amends with them. This step involves making a list of all of the people that you have harmed with your problem and then assessing the best ways to make amends with them. This step can take a lot of work, but you will feel the guilt lifted from your shoulders as you cross people off of your list, making it really pay off.

The ninth step of AA works off of the eight step. In this step, you will be actually making amends with the people that you thought about in the eighth step. One important thing to remember in this step, however, is that you should only try to make amends with those who won’t face further injury from your attempt. If making amends would open up an old problem that was previously set aside and forgotten about, you may want to weigh the decision with your AA sponsor.

Step ten is also focused upon the principles set forth in step eight. The principle idea in step ten is maintenance, and it refers to continuously keeping a list of the individuals that you have harmed in your life, working towards making amends with those individuals. With your new lease on life, it will be much easier to admit when you are wrong and to offer amends.

Step eleven involves speaking to your higher power in order to determine what types of plans they have for your life. By identifying the way that you should live your life, you will be better able to visualize results and to stick to the program.

The twelfth and final step in the Alcoholics Anonymous program is known as the service step. In this step, successes should have been made in preventing alcohol from affecting your life. This step involves passing on the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to others, helping to support them in their struggles.

The first six steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

Daniel — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:19:00 +0000

Studies have shown consistently that those who attend Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in an attempt to conquer a problem with alcoholism are among the most likely to successfully beat the problem. In this article, we’ll examine some of the basic beliefs of the Alcoholics Anonymous program – the first six of the ‘twelve steps’ as they are commonly known. Many people live their lives based on the twelve step program and they find that it makes it all the easier to keep them from drinking.

The first step in AA is to admit that you are powerless over alcohol, and that your life has become unmanageable. Honesty is one of the first things to go when an individual becomes an alcoholic, and it consequently needs to become one of the first things to address when trying to get over the problem.

The second step is to work with your faith. This step involves making an admission that the only way that you will be able to beat your problem with alcoholism is to rely on a force greater than your own to help restore your life, be it God or any other spiritual force that may guide you.

The third step to Alcoholics Anonymous is based upon surrender. This step involves letting go of the life that you previously lived that contributed to your problem with alcoholism, and turning it over to a force greater than yourself.

The fourth step of AA can be difficult for many people to face up to. This step involves making a moral inventory of your life, not leaving out any aspect of yourself due to fear. Only by acknowledging the bad parts of your life will you be able to successfully work towards removing them. This is a true step of transformation as you begin to learn more about yourself, both good and bad.

The fifth step is said to be the most difficult by many individuals. This step elaborates on step four, and it involves admitting to your higher power, yourself, and the others in your life the exact nature of the problems that are present within your life. While it may not be that difficult to confront yourself or speaking to your higher power, many people find that it is a struggle to admit their problems to other individuals. It works as a type of baptism, in the way that you are facing up to the problems of your past and working towards creating a better future.

The sixth step in the program involves accepting yourself as you are. In this step, you need to ensure that you are ready to give up all of the faults that were holding you back in your ‘previous’ life. It can be difficult to do, considering that you have probably become quite comfortable in the way that you were formerly living your life. It is a key step, however, when it comes to advancing your life past the point that it is at.

Hopefully, this article helped to clear up some of the basics of the Alcoholics Anonymous program for you. Many find it to be useful, and you should seriously consider attending meetings if you have a problem with alcohol.

The Addictive Side Of Alcoholism

Daniel — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:05:00 +0000

Yes, it is a disease, but Alcoholism is also an addiction. It is the undeniable need for a drink that makes if an addiction. It is the inability to stop at just one drink, and the level of difficulty in quitting, requiring professional assistance and the need for a support group to be able to kick the drinking habit; that makes Alcoholism an addiction. Alcohol is after all a drug. As an addiction the condition is a progressive one. It changes in intensity growing and taking over like weeds in a garden.

Addiction robs the drinker of the ability to see beyond the haze of alcohol to the reality of situations. They may see an exaggerated reality that is fuzzy and unreal. Addiction makes choices for you that you would not otherwise make. Addiction often takes the romance out of relationships.

Drunk Driving The New War

Daniel — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:02:00 +0000

In 2005, 16,885 people died in alcohol related vehicle crashes. This accounts for 39% of all traffic related deaths in the United States. Everyday more and more drivers are stopped and arrested for driving under the influence. Although authorities are working to crack down on drunk driving, there are simply too many drunk drivers to stop all of them. For many of the drivers that are stopped it is not the first time to be driving under the influence or even getting caught doing it. Since 1980 Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD), have lobbied to get first offense penalties for drunk drivers to be more severe. Unfortunately, these penalties do not stop people from making that choice to get behind the wheel of a car after they have been drinking alcoholic beverages.

All of the states have passed the law for age 21 to be the legal drinking age and two-thirds of all of the states have lowered the legal blood alcohol concentration limit from .10 to .08 for adults. Most recently, twelve states have passed Zero Tolerance laws for anyone under the age of 21 with any amount of alcohol in their blood stream.

In 1997, MADD got a new arsenal in their war against drunk driving when Princess Diana was killed in a traffic accident after the man driving her car was found to be intoxicated at three times over the legal limit in France. This accident was a powerful reminder that anyone can be affected by drinking and driving. No one is exempt from the consequences.

In recent years, the Justice System has begun to hold drunk drivers responsible for the damages they have caused. This goes beyond holding them legally responsible and now including monetary restitution to the victims and their families.

Another new weapon that is being used in the war against drunk driving is an intolerant legal system. It is a waste of time these days for a drunk driver to get an attorney and try to get a reduced sentence by pleading to a lesser charge. Although the laws differ from state to state, most states no longer allow even first time offenders to get way without feeling the consequences of their driving under the influence. In most states now even a first time offender faces a lengthy suspension of their license and at least a weekend in jail. In order to get their license back, most states require the offenders to attend a DUI school, which includes an assessment with a professional counselor.

Many states have passes what is called the Habitual Violator Law, which provides felony penalties for three DUI convictions. These violators lose their licenses permanently if not for many years and lose their civil liberties such as the right to vote or own a weapon.

A DUI conviction can be an extremely expensive even, especially a second or third offense. The costs can be even greater for those who receive a DUI because of a traffic accident where someone was injured or possibly killed. Regardless of the circumstances, more offenders are being held liable for the damages of any accidents or tragedies they cause while under the influence. The new war on drunk driving can cause the offenders to be not only financially devastated for life but they can also lose their right to live a life of freedom.

Read more on Drunk Driving The New War…

Alcoholism As Seen Through The Eyes Of A Child

Daniel — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:14:00 +0000

Children who live with or come in close contact with Alcoholics experience the consequences of the disease up close and at times in a very person manner. They witness the destruction, the out of control behavior and the aftermath of the drinking events. They, especially if very young, will feel helpless to stop or control the actions or consequences of the Alcoholic. Children, who rely on the alcoholic for their care, may often have to wait until the person recovers from bouts of uncontrolled drinking before they can eat, or receive other basic care. Often there are financial consequences of drinking such as destruction of property, or loss of money that directly affects the children in the household. The old adage that “children see, children do”, applies to the drinking of alcohol. When children are exposed to those who accept using alcohol as a means to cope with life, they will likely learn to copy the attitudes and behaviors of those they live with or those who they are exposed to on a consistent basis. These people include:

Parents

Siblings,

Babysitters

Relatives

Neighbors

Teachers and Organizational Staff

Friends and the parents of friends

The Journal of American Medical Association has included the statistic that alcohol has been “the leading contributor to, the leading causes of death among young people in the United States.” This means that our kids today, are likely to have to come to grips with the death of someone (sibling, classmate, friend) they know and love as a result of a alcohol-related death. This could include alcohol-related traffic accidents, accidents in the home, alcohol poisoning of infants/toddlers in the home, to name a few possibilities. Death is a difficult concept for young children to process. It will have a great impact on them now and into their future.

The statistics are alarming, and the scars left are deep.

The Statistics:

There are approximately one in four children who will be exposed to alcoholism in their family. Children of parents who suffer from Alcoholism are at significant risk to become Alcoholics themselves. The attitudes of the adults influence how the children view alcohol, especially the attitudes of their parents. Studies have shown that children who have older siblings who drink, especially same sex siblings are also at a significant higher risk to pick up the same drinking habits.

According to the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine: Children who themselves drink before age 14 are 47% more likely to become dependent on alcohol.

One study of 5th through 11th grade students (from the annual meeting of the Research Society of Alcoholism out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada), found that advertising fostered favorable attitudes towards drinking in these youth.

According to “Monitoring the Future”, a 2006 survey conducted at the University of Michigan News and Information Services: at least 20% of 8th graders and 41% of 10th graders have been drunk at least once.

There is a cultural difference in the rates of drinking. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2006): 29.9% of non-Hispanic white students, 11.1 % of African American students, and 25.3% of Hispanic students are pro binge drinking.

Living With An Alcoholic » Am I an Alcoholic

Women Fighting Against The Consequences Of Alcoholism

Recommended Reading

Recommended Reading

The last six steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

Recommended Reading

Recommended Reading

The first six steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

Recommended Reading

Recommended Reading

The Addictive Side Of Alcoholism

Recommended Reading

Recommended Reading

Drunk Driving The New War

Recommended Reading

Recommended Reading

Alcoholism As Seen Through The Eyes Of A Child

Recommended Reading

Recommended Reading